Lone Wolf
by The Angel of the Lion
Summary: Can you ever change a man? Rinoa thinks not after Squall leaves her and Balamb for the quiet life. Will he ever realise what he left behind? Please review. Complete
1. Alone

Lone Wolf  
  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own Final Fantasy or any of the characters.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Squall, Squall, can I ask you a question?" a Balamb Garden SeeD was chasing him wildly down the corridor.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"What's it like dating a sorceress?" Squall let out an audible sigh.  
  
"Same as dating anyone else," Squall replied crossly.  
  
"Oh," was the only reply the SeeD had. Before he could say another word, Squall had already walked off down the corridor.  
  
"Why do people keep asking questions," he thought to himself. "I never asked to be popular."  
  
"Oh, look, there he is, over there," a female cadet exclaimed. "Lets go talk to him." Before they could ask him more questions, Squall stopped them in their tracks.  
  
"Leave me alone!"  
  
The three girls skulked off to a corner to continue talking amongst themselves.  
  
"I can't take anymore of this."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rinoa, I need to talk to you." Squall was stood outside the door of her dorm, waiting to be let in. "Rinoa?"  
  
"Just a minute," Rinoa replied. A few seconds later she appeared at the door, looking as beautiful as always.  
  
"This is going to make it more difficult," thought Squall. "What is it Squall? You look worried."  
  
Squall entered her room and shut the door behind them.  
  
"Squall, talk to me," worry began to show itself in Rinoa's voice.  
  
"Rinoa, I.I'm leaving." His words hung heavy in the air.  
  
"Why? Where? Please don't go, I don't want you to leave me." Tears began to roll down Rinoa's cheek.  
  
"Don't cry, please. This is hard enough already."  
  
"You think this is hard? Well what about me? You just stroll in here and you casually tell me you're leaving."  
  
"I need time on my own. I can't take being here anymore. Everyone wants to know me and I don't get any time to myself anymore."  
  
"Where will you go?"  
  
"Esthar probably."  
  
"Will you come back?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"I thought you'd changed. I thought you could talk to me. I thought you trusted me. Obviously I was wrong."  
  
"Rinoa, my leaving has nothing to do with you. It was one thing letting you get to know me but I'm not prepared to let complete strangers in."  
  
"When are you leaving?"  
  
"Now." Rinoa broke down in tears again. "I'm sorry Rinoa. Goodbye."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa was still sat crying in her dorm that evening.  
  
"Why did he have to go? He didn't give me a chance to tell him how I feel." Rinoa wiped away the tears on her cheek. "I'm not going to let him just walk away. I'm going to tell him how I feel." She got up off her bed and began to throw some clothes into her bag. In addition to her clothes, she took a picture of her and Squall off her dormitory wall and put it into her bag.  
  
"Come on Angelo. We're going to Esthar."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Nobody noticed the young lady and her dog sneak out of Balamb Garden in the dead of night. When she was clear of the front gate, rinoa began to run towards the town of Balamb, hoping that Squall was still there, waiting for a train. When she reached the station, she found it deserted apart from one member of staff.  
  
"Did a young man dressed in black carrying a gunblade get on a train today?" Rinoa asked.  
  
"Erm, come to think of it yes. He got on a train about three hours ago."  
  
"Where did he go?"  
  
"Timber, I think."  
  
"He must be walking to Esthar from Timber," thought Rinoa. "When's the next train?"  
  
"You're in luck. There should be one arriving in a couple of minutes. Do you want a ticket?"  
  
"Yes, thank you." Rinoa handed over the 3000 gil for the ticket. A few minutes later the train arrived and she headed for Timber.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Squall was walking along the old railway bridge to Esthar. All he could think about was the time he carried Rinoa along the bridge.  
  
"Back then, all I could think about was her and hearing her voice again. So why am I walking away? I guess it's too late now though. I have to go to Esthar. I can't go back."  
  
Squall wished that Rinoa was with him now.  
  
"Why didn't I ask her to come with me? It wasn't her I was running from, it was everyone else. Why am I so stupid?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What am I doing? I'm walking through the countryside in the middle of the night all alone." Angelo began to bark. "Well, alone apart from you."  
  
"Well, this was my stupid choice, wasn't it Angelo? I've got nobody to blame but myself."  
  
In the distance Rinoa could see the bridge to Esthar. "Finally," she thought. "It shouldn't take too much longer now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Several hours later, Rinoa was beginning to get exhausted.  
  
"I can't do this anymore. I need to rest. This is all Squall's fault. He is so selfish making me go after him."  
  
"Why am I going after him? He made it perfectly clear that he wants to be alone. He doesn't want to be with me anymore."  
  
With this, Rinoa began crying again. "I can't go any further. I won't." Luckily for Rinoa, she was at the entrance to Fisherman's Horizon. She entered the town, searching for the hotel.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In her hotel room, Rinoa began to realise how she didn't belong anywhere now Squall had left.  
  
"Angelo, what do I do? I can't go back to Garden, I don't belong there, I'm not a SeeD. I can't go back to Timber, not with the hatred for the resistance. I'm certainly not going back to Deling either. Not while that man is still there."  
  
Rinoa still couldn't bring herself to call that man her father. She still couldn't forgive what he had done and how he didn't take her seriously.  
  
"I've made up my mind Angelo. We'll stay here. It's a nice peaceful town and I can finally show that I can take care of myself. I don't need Squall anymore."  
  
Rinoa settled down to bed, looking forward to her new, independent life. 


	2. Lonely Hearts

Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: don't own final fantasy or any of the characters.  
  
"There's no going back now," thought Squall as he crossed the threshold and entered Esthar. He took the lifter to the presidential palace and found Kiros inside.  
  
"Squall, what are you doing here? Have you come to see Laguna?" Squall merely nodded. "Well I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you, he's stuck in a meeting with some diplomats." Squall recalled Laguna's distaste for politics and wondered how a man like that became a president.  
  
"Squall, am I glad to see you," Laguna exclaimed as he exited a room across the hallway. "That was the most boring meeting I have ever been in and trust me, I've been in a few." Seeing that Squall's face was still glum and expressionless, Laguna became concerned. "What's wrong Squall? I've not seen you this miserable since Rinoa was in a coma."  
  
"Whatever. Look I'm going to be staying for a while. Is it OK if I work in the army while I'm here?"  
  
"The army? Why do you even want to work? Why not take a vacation? You've been working too hard."  
  
"Look, will you let me stay here for a while in the army or what?"  
  
"Could I really turn my own son away?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"11 o'clock already! Why didn't you wake me up Angelo?" Rinoa sat up crossly in bed. She quickly leapt out of bed and into the shower.  
  
"Hang on, why am I in such a rush? I don't have to get up for anyone now. I can sleep in all I want," she thought to herself. "There certainly are good points to living on my own."  
  
Despite this, Rinoa still couldn't shake off the feeling of loneliness. This was the first morning in months that she hadn't been woken up by Squall's gentle kiss on her lips. She really did miss him and they'd only been apart for a day.  
  
"I can't think like this. I can live without him. I can live by myself."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Squall?" Quistis knocked on the door to the dormitory. "Squall?"  
  
"I bet he's with Rinoa. That's not at all like him. He's really changed since he met Rinoa. I'd better not disturb them."  
  
As Quistis walked away from the dorms, she bumped into Cid.  
  
"Headmaster, what are you doing in the dorms?"  
  
"I was looking for Squall, have you seen him? He was supposed to have a meeting with me an hour ago."  
  
"I was just looking for him. He didn't show up to training this morning. He's not in his dorm either. I just assumed he was with Rinoa."  
  
"Do you really think he would forget about a meeting?"  
  
"No, that's not like him at all. Something could be wrong."  
  
"We'll go look. I have a master key for all the rooms"  
  
The moment Quistis entered, she knew something was wrong. The room was deserted and the case to Squall's gunblade was missing. A note was left on the table:  
  
I'm sorry everyone. I have to go. I need sometime on my own for a while. Don't worry, I'll probably just go to Esthar or something. Squall  
  
"He's really gone isn't he?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa entered the restaurant in Fisherman's Horizon, her stomach rumbling. She walked up to the counter, ready to order.  
  
"I'll have a hotdog and a pizza please," she told the lady behind the counter.  
  
"That'll be 200 gil please." Rinoa searched through her purse for the money but soon realised she had spent her last gil on her hotel room.  
  
"I am so, so sorry. I.I don't have any money left."  
  
"That's OK honey, I feel for you. Want a job?" Rinoa was shocked at how straight-talking the lady was and didn't know how to respond. "You'll need a job if you don't have any money. How are you going to eat?"  
  
"Well, I guess I could do with a job," Rinoa replied sheepishly. She hadn't thought this far ahead when she decided to stay in Fisherman's Horizon and was ashamed at how stupid she had been.  
  
"Great, you can start now. My name's Leah by the way."  
  
"Rinoa. Pleased to meet you." Leah threw a waitresses outfit at Rinoa.  
  
"You can get changed in the back." Rinoa sighed. This wasn't how she imagined her new life at all. Maybe I can't live on my own. Maybe I do need Squall.  
  
But he doesn't need me. 


	3. True Love Never Dies

Chapter 3  
  
I don't own Final Fantasy so don't sue as I don't have anything  
  
  
  
"Rinoa, can you go and get the order from table two please?"  
  
"On my way." She had only been here a month but she started to think of it as home. She liked working here, it kept her busy and took her mind off Squall. She had begun to think about him less now, but she still felt the pang of loneliness when she was alone at night, without Squall there for warmth. "Can I take your order please?" Rinoa asked the couple sat at table two.  
  
"Two coffees please," was the reply.  
  
"Coming right up." Rinoa hated seeing couples. As much as she tried to get over Squall, something always reminded her of him. Seeing two people together, happy and enjoying themselves upset Rinoa. It was times like these she longed for Squall to return.  
  
"Are you alright? asked Leah. "You look upset."  
  
"I'm fine. There's nothing wrong."  
  
"You know you really should talk more. It's not healthy to keep all your emotions cooped up." A look of horror swept across Rinoa's face.  
  
"Hyne, I'm even turning into him," she thought. "Is this how Squall used to feel? Alone? Abandoned?"  
  
"Are you there?" Leah asked, waving her hand in front of Rinoa's face. "What's on your mind?"  
  
"Nothing," replied Rinoa, picking up the coffee and taking it to her customers.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Leonhart. What are we doing?"  
  
"Waiting"  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Look, will you be quiet. We're trying to ambush a gang of thieves and your big mouth will scare them off." Squall was beginning to get annoyed.  
  
"Sorry, sir."  
  
After five minutes of uncomfortable silence, a noise could be heard in the forest. Squall held his hand out, signalling to his men to wait for his command. The noise had been made by a gang of five men matching the description Laguna had given him. Squall waited until the men had walked past before rushing out of the undergrowth and overpowering their leader. He pushed the tip of his gunblade against the leader's throat.  
  
"Don't move," he growled. "Okay, lets take them all back to Esthar," he ordered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Squall, I need to talk to you," Laguna shouted down the corridor at his son.  
  
"What now."  
  
"You still haven't answered my question."  
  
"What question."  
  
"The one I asked the day you got here. Why are you here?"  
  
"I told you. I wanted to be alone."  
  
"I don't believe you. I think you're lying," Laguna accused.  
  
"Why would I be lying. I've got no reason to lie to you."  
  
"Then maybe you're lying to yourself."  
  
"Go on, you know me better than I do. Tell me why I'm here then," demanded Squall sarcastically.  
  
"You always distanced yourself from people, everyone has told me that. You were very successful at it. Now you're afraid you'll fail. You're afraid that you've changed too much and you won't be able to live in your own little world anymore."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous," shouted Squall, storming off angrily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rinoa, do you fancy going out."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why do you sound so shocked? I just wondered if you wanted to go out for a meal or something."  
  
"Sure, I'll just go back to the hotel in and change."  
  
"I'll meet you here in half an hour then."  
  
"See you then." With that Rinoa began to make her way to the hotel, feeling very pleased with herself. She had survived a whole two months on her own and now, she was accepted. Leah had wanted to go for a meal with her. "I'm going to be alright," she thought to herself.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"So, why did you come to FH then," enquired Leah.  
  
"Oh, it's a long story," Rinoa replied sheepishly.  
  
"Come on tell me. Did you go through a break up or something?"  
  
"Well I guess we never really broke up. He said he just needed some time on his own and left for Esthar."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"It's okay. I ended up here because I was going after him, but on the way I realised just how selfish he was and that he obviously doesn't want to be with me anymore." Rinoa was so close to breaking down in tears. She didn't know if she could hold them back for much longer.  
  
"Did you love him?" It was the question Rinoa had dreaded.  
  
"I.I still do." That was enough for Rinoa. She broke down and cried, tears flooding down her cheeks. "I have to go," she told Leah before she ran out of the restaurant.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Laguna was wrong. He doesn't know me. He was never there for me. How could he know?" That was the thought that had been running through Squall's mind ever since Laguna had uttered those words to him a month ago.  
  
"I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid." Still, he couldn't convince himself.  
  
"Did I really run away? What if everyone else thinks that? Does Cid think I ran away from being Commander of the Garden? He must be disappointed at me. Does Rinoa think I ran away?"  
  
Squall had thought about Rinoa ever since he left Balamb.  
  
"She must hate me. I guess it doesn't matter now. I'm not in her life anymore."  
  
This thought depressed Squall. He wanted to matter to Rinoa.  
  
"I want to be someone in her life. I miss that, she was everything to me and look what I've done." Squall punched the wall in anger and plaster rained down on him.  
  
"Maybe I was afraid of changing. It was kind of scary seeing myself change in a matter of months. What am I saying? I was scared so I ran away? I'm still the pathetic little boy who cried everyday for Ellone to come back. I know now that I was running away when I left Balamb. I ran away from all my responsibilities. I ran from her."  
  
"Squall. Can I come in?" Laguna was at the door.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Laguna entered and sat down next to his son. "I'm sorry about what I said. I know it's upset you."  
  
"It was the truth though wasn't it?"  
  
Laguna was silent for a moment, not wanting to answer. "You should go back to her."  
  
"I can't go back."  
  
"You have to. She won't wait forever for you to come back. You leave it any longer and you may never see her again."  
  
"You still think about Julia and that she didn't wait?"  
  
"Learn from my mistakes Squall. If you love her, you need to go back. Do you love her Squall?"  
  
"I love her." 


	4. Broken Heart

Chapter 4  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Squall was running as fast as he could along the railway bridge back to Galbadia. All he could think of was Rinoa and how he needed to see her again. He cursed himself at how stupid he was to leave her. His legs felt like lead and pain coursed through his whole body, but still he would not stop running. And this time, he was not running away.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa fled to her hotel room and cried. She had not cried this much since the night Squall had left her.  
  
"How could he do this to me?" She screamed. "How could he?"  
  
Her mind was racked with doubts. Should she have carried on to Esthar? Should she have stayed and waited at Garden?  
  
"I was so foolish. Why did I have to leave everything behind?"  
  
"Because I had nothing left." Without Squall, there was nothing. "He took my life and ripped out my heart."  
  
"I will never forgive him."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Squall collapsed just a matter of miles from Timber. He could not go on. He had run all through the night without rest and the pain became too much. His legs gave way beneath him and the whole world turned black as he slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rinoa?" Squall could see her but there was no reply. "Rinoa?" She must hear him. She was only a matter of metres in front of him. He ran to catch up with her and stopped her from walking any further. "Rinoa, why didn't you answer me?" Squall asked, sounding hurt.  
  
"Because you are nothing to me," was the reply. Rinoa's voice was icy and filled with hatred.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You left me. I waited and you never came back. You are nothing."  
  
"But I'm here now," pleaded Squall.  
  
"Too late."  
  
"But I love you."  
  
"I hate you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rinoa," screamed Squall as he became conscious. Her last words were echoing in his head.  
  
"I hate you."  
  
"Rinoa," he cried again as he ran frantically towards Timber, hoping he was not too late to save their love.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Leah, I'm sorry about running off last night," Rinoa apologised.  
  
"No problem. I was being, insensitive. At my age I should know better."  
  
"Thanks for not being mad," Rinoa said sheepishly.  
  
"Life's too short to always be angry at people."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The train journey to Balamb was long and arduous for Squall. He sat in his seat and stared out of the winter at the beautiful scenery. He had missed this since moving to Esthar. He had missed the rolling plains surrounding Garden and the beach at Balamb. He missed how low-tech everything was in Balamb Town after becoming used to waking up in Esthar every morning.  
  
"Next stop Balamb, end of the line," said the announcer. Squall gathered his bags and stepped off the train after it had ground to a halt beside the platform. He ran through the bustling streets of Balamb and on to Garden. As he neared the front gate, he slowed.  
  
"I'm home," he thought as he entered Garden for the first time in three months.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Squall," exclaimed Quistis and Zell who spotted him walking near the directory. "You're home."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Erm, where's Rinoa?" asked Zell.  
  
"You mean she isn't here?" Squall's voice was filled with panic.  
  
"We thought she left with you." Quistis became worried. "You mean she didn't?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In the instant it became clear that Rinoa was not at Garden, it felt to Squall as if his world had fallen apart. He had lost her, maybe for good this time.  
  
"Rinoa, where are you?" 


	5. Desperation

Chapter 5  
  
As usual, I don't own Final Fantasy, Squaresoft does.  
  
  
  
After finding that Rinoa was no longer at Garden, Squall had run to the town of Balamb.  
  
"Mrs Dincht. Have you seen Rinoa?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I thought she was at Garden."  
  
"She's definitely not in Balamb then?"  
  
"No. Rest assured I would have heard about it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Zone, Watts." Squall had got on the train to Timber, hoping to find Rinoa at her former home. "Have you seen Rinoa?"  
  
"No, sir. Why what have done to her?"  
  
"Nothing. She just left Garden and I thought she might be here with you."  
  
"We haven't seen her, sir. We'll look around Timber for you though, and see if anyone knows anything."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"And if anything happens to her."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"This is going to be the most difficult place to check," thought Squall. "And my last hope." He was stood outside Caraway's mansion in Deling City. "I can't let Caraway know Rinoa's missing. He hates me enough as it is." Squall decided to check the rest of the city first, when he found a way to ask if Rinoa was staying with Caraway. At the mall, he purchased a new set of clothes and went back to Caraway's mansion.  
  
"Guard. Is there a young woman staying here?"  
  
"No. There aren't any women here."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. Now get lost."  
  
Squall's last hope was dashed. He had no idea where Rinoa was but at least Caraway wouldn't find out that his daughter was missing. The description the guard would give him would not match Squall's.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Squall. Did you find her?" Quistis didn't really need an answer. She could tell by the look on Squall's face that he still had no clue as to Rinoa's whereabouts.  
  
"I contacted Selphie and Irvine in Trabia and they've seen no sign of her. We have no idea where she is."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That night as Squall slept in his dorm, he knew he couldn't stay. This place brought back too many memories of Rinoa. Until he found her, he could not return. 


	6. Discovery

Chapter 6  
  
I don't own Final Fantasy so don't sue  
  
  
  
Squall trudged over the Esthar bridge feeling despondent. He had failed to find Rinoa. She didn't wait. She didn't love him anymore, and he only had himself to blame. He knew that by returning to Esthar, he was just running away again, but he didn't care anymore. Nothing mattered without Rinoa.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Several hours later, Squall was still deep in thought until he was interrupted by the rumbling of his stomach. He realised that he hadn't eaten since the previous day. He had been too busy trying to find Rinoa. Knowing that he was only half an hour away from Fisherman's Horizon, Squall continued walking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The first thing Squall did when he entered Fisherman's Horizon was to book himself into the hotel. He took a shower and changed his clothes before setting out to find a restaurant.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rinoa checked her watch. Five minutes until she could finish work.  
  
"Last customer," she thought to herself, relieved. The customer was sat a table on his own with his back to her, reading the paper. "Can I take your order please?" The man seemed shocked when she said this and immediately turned round.  
  
"Rinoa. I'm so glad you're okay. I've looked everywhere for you." There was relief in Squall's voice.  
  
"Squall," she said, trying to keep her voice emotionless.  
  
"Rinoa, I really need to talk to you. I have something I want to tell you."  
  
"No you don't. You don't really want to talk to me and I don't want to talk to you. I'm fine here on my own."  
  
"Rinoa." With tears cascading down her cheeks, she ran out of the restaurant, away from Squall. 


	7. Capture

Chapter 7  
  
  
  
"I waited for too long. I should have gone back earlier."  
  
"No that's wrong, I should never have left." Squall was sat on the bed in his hotel room, his head in his hands.  
  
"I never should have left. She was everything to me."  
  
"She still is."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"How can he do this to me?" Rinoa ran through the streets of FH, until she could run no more. "I was fine here, without him." She began to sob as she walked towards her hotel room.  
  
"If I'm fine then why am I crying?" She couldn't get that nagging voice out of her head.  
  
"Isn't that her?" She walked past two men who insisted on staring at her. She looked straight at the ground, not wanting to attract any attention.  
  
"It can't be."  
  
"It is. We both saw her in Esthar, it's definitely her."  
  
"She does look familiar."  
  
"She's more than familiar, you remember the day she broke out the Sorceress Memorial. We were there and Watts just let her go. It killed me." Rinoa, overhearing this began to panic. She knew they recognised and wanted to get out of there without arousing any more suspicion. She picked up her pace, hoping that they would not follow.  
  
"But we can't just start a fight. We left the army. We're supposed to be peaceful now."  
  
"But she's not even a person. We can't let her get away." Rinoa fled in terror, but these were trained soldiers after her, and they easily caught up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Leah was inside the restaurant when she heard a commotion outside.  
  
"Look. The sorceress was living amongst us. We've caught her and are finally going to bring her to justice after she escaped from Esthar."  
  
"Finally," thought Leah. "That sorceress caused so much trouble. She shouldn't be allowed to get away with it." Everyone in the restaurant got up and went outside, prompting Leah to do the same. She gasped as she saw the identity of the sorceress that she hated.  
  
Rinoa.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Squall was roused from his uneasy slumber by the sound of a crowd outside his room. He opened the window to see what all the fuss was about.  
  
Someone from in the crowd noticed this and shouted up at him, "We're going to kill the sorceress. Get to the square quick or you'll miss it."  
  
"Rinoa." Squall hurriedly dressed and strapped his gunblade to his side, preparing for trouble. He was not about to let Rinoa die. 


	8. I Promise

Chapter 8  
  
  
  
Squall ran towards the town square and found the ex-Galbadian soldier holding Rinoa, with a knife to her throat.  
  
"We will finally get justice for all those lives lost. We will kill the sorceress." A cheer rose from the crowd.  
  
However, just before the knife slit Rinoa's throat, Squall jumped in between them, pointing the tip of his gunblade at the former soldier.  
  
"How can you people live with yourselves? Do you enjoy murdering people?"  
  
"She's not a person, she's the sorceress."  
  
"She never hurt anybody. If you want someone to be held responsible for all the death caused during the war, what about these soldiers here? The ones who tried to torch your own city." The crowd fell silent.  
  
"Who are you, anyway?" asked the ex-soldier. "How do you know the sorceress?"  
  
"Me? I'm her knight."  
  
"She deserves to die."  
  
"SHE DOES NOT DESERVE TO DIE. She never harmed anyone."  
  
"Yeah, right."  
  
"Wait, he's telling the truth," a voice from the crowd shouted. "She could never hurt anyone." It was Leah.  
  
"Yeah. I've seen her around. She never harmed anyone," someone else agreed.  
  
"You see?" Squall smirked. "It's you who doesn't deserve to live." He lowered his gunblade and walked out of the square, onto the Esthar bridge. Rinoa sat, completely stunned for a short time. She stared at the lone figure of Squall, walking away from her.  
  
"No. I won't let this happen." She ran after him, shouting his name, but Squall didn't hear. The wind was too high, and Rinoa's voice wouldn't carry to him. She ran as fast as she could towards him.  
  
"Squall, where are you going?"  
  
"Away. That's what you want."  
  
"No, Squall. It isn't what I want. The reason I left Garden was that I didn't belong there without you. Now I realise that the only place I belong is where you are. Please Squall, I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Rinoa." Squall stepped closer to her and, taking her into his arms, kissed her gently. "I won't leave again. I promise." 


End file.
